"Mon Dieu! no; in the first place, I waited for Cédrille a long while; and when he did not come, I decided to go alone, for I am not timid, as you know. But when I found myself all alone, at night, in the streets of this great city, of which I have heard so many terrible things, I felt troubled, my heart beat fast; however, I walked on, thinking that I knew my road. At last, as I was afraid of going astray, I spoke to a gentleman who was passing, and asked him to direct me to Master Hugonnet's baths, on Rue Saint-Jacques.--Ah! how I regretted speaking to that man! If you knew how he treated me!--'Aha! you wanton!' he said; 'going to the baths so late? then the assignation must be very important!'--And he added a lot of insulting remarks, and tried to put his arm about my waist and to detain me by force. But anger gave me strength; I pushed the man away so violently that he seemed dazed, and I fled, running at random; then it was that I lost my way altogether. I walked a long, long while, trying to find my way back to the Hôtel de Mongarcin; but I would have passed the whole night in the street rather than ask my way again! Then you met me." "This should serve you as a lesson, Miretta; you must not venture out alone in Paris at night; it is dangerous for a man, much more so for a pretty young girl; and if the watch had fallen in with you, they would have taken you to the Filles Repenties. But the clock struck ten long ago; I will take you back to the Hôtel de Mongarcin. Do you know that they will form a strange opinion of you there? On the very day of your arrival, you disappear for a large part of the evening." "I shall tell my young mistress what happened to me; I shall tell her the whole truth; Mademoiselle Valentine will forgive me, for I will promise to be more prudent hereafter." "You will tell her the _whole_ truth?" repeated Giovanni, fastening his eyes on the girl's face. "Yes, but without naming you. Oh! never fear: I will not tell--your secret." "I rely upon it; come! But wait a moment." Giovanni took the horrible hairy cap, the huge beard, and the olive-green cloak, and held them all up before Miretta, saying: "Look at these carefully; if you should ever see a man dressed in these clothes, fly, fly at once--do not go near that man!--Do you swear, Miretta?" "I swear," faltered the girl, in a trembling voice. "On that condition, you will see me again sometimes, now as a wealthy gentleman, now as a simple artisan, or a bourgeois; but I will speak first to you." With that, the Italian hastily resumed the costume of an old Bohemian; when that was done, he said: "Come, now, let us make haste; but, above all things, make no noise."